Stranger Than Kindness
by devilsalt
Summary: Much to Uldren Sov's chagrin, his sister has ordered him to start assisting Kore, a Warlock Guardian, and her Ghost with her recent bounties. To the Queen it is merely an amusement, but for the unlikely companions it is more than that. The Guardian understand's his undying loyalty in a new light and the Prince finds she carries her own share of darkness. T for now. Title pending.
1. Chapter 1

**First off some updates to readers of my other series. For the moment my Dragon Age series is on hiatus until I can decide whether to just continue it, go back and fix some of the plot in the first installment, or completely re-write the series and keeping the basic story elements introduced through out the series. Any opinions would greatly help. I have every intention of finishing the series, I just need to decide what the next step should be. Now for my Resident Evil series, which isn't as popular but still important to me, I am waiting until I finish Revelations 2, since some elements in the game were going to be used in my story, but will now need to be changed. As always, if there are any questions feel free to PM me, I'm more than happy to answer.**

 **Now onto this story here. I've been playing a lot of Destiny—and I mean a lot. Not exactly sure if this is something I will continue, considering the recent Taken King trailer, but I wanted to get back into writing. So why not start something new? As most of my first chapters are, this is very brief to establish the basics of the story since I haven't entirely worked out the plot. It takes place before the end of the game, and will most likely move into House of Wolves if I continue. Anyways, enjoy.**

* * *

 _ **1**_

* * *

"It bleeds..."

The Queen spoke with an unrivaled nonchalance and a mild amount of curiosity that quickly drew the room's audience to the lone Guardian and her Ghost.

Kore was dusted from head to toe in red sand, a consequence of coming to the Reef directly from her recent mission on Mars. She had the Gate Lord's eye—but a dead one. So between reconning the planet for a means to wake the eye, the Guardian was dutifully making good on her promise to answer the Awoken's call. Her last mission had been a close call. Between the Vex and the Cabal raging war against the other, Kore had barely made it to the shadow of a rock when her sparrow was caught in the cross-fire. Amidst the chaos, she had taken a rifle shot from the Vex, cutting clear through her Vanguard Bond and leaving part of her upper arm in shreds.

Surprised by the sudden attention, the Warlock pressed her hand over the open wound and slightly turned away to avert further interest from the throne. Sharp, stinging pain shot down her arm as her fingers grazed the shredded flesh, causing blood to flow down her gauntlet. None the less, the Guardian bit back any sounds of her discomfort and remained the diligent agent the Queen had been relying on for several months now. However, Ghost quickly reversed Kore's attempt to hide the injury by suddenly scanning the length of her arm and muttering in great detail the extend of her damage.

She pushed Ghost away with an opened palm and shot him a soft glare. "It is nothing," she answered the Queen carefully, "Your Grace."

An amused scoff came from the Queen's side, as her advisor and brother crossed his arms, staring apathetically at Kore with his glowing yellow eyes. She carried his gaze momentarily before quickly averting her eyes to the ground. The Warlock pressed harder against her arm, feeling blood now begin to soak into the fabric of her gloves. Again, Ghost hovered worriedly at her side, but the Guardian stood steadfast and awaited further direction from the Queen—of which she hoped would be a quick dismissal from the court.

From her throne, the Queen, sank back into her chair with renewed curiosity. She casually curled a finger at her guards and one stepped forward to heed the summon. "Prepare a room for the Guardian and its ball," she said, silencing the room. Her order promptly elicited a disgruntled choke from her brother, who again shot Kore a sharp glare before turning towards his sister with protest.

" I am honored, Your Grace," the Guardian quickly answered with a shake of her head, "but I cannot impose on the kindness you have already shown me."

Ghost swiftly objected. "Yes we can," he muttered loud enough for the entire court to hear, whilst putting himself at eye level with Kore. She gave him a look, but the 'little light' ignored her. "We barely made it to orbit," he reminded her, " _You_ barely made it to orbit—"

Kore stepped in front of Ghost, her usually soft composition replaced with a stern facade. " _I_ am the Guardian here," the Warlock said uncharacteristically sharp, causing Ghost to flinch mid-air. His lens narrowed at her.

" _You're_ not my Guardian," Ghost promptly snapped back.

She recoiled from the bite in his tone, eyes dropping back to the floor. Ghost swung closer to Kore apologetically, but was interrupted by an amused chuckle. "It would appear the Guardian thinks herself too good for our help," the Queen's brother, Uldren Sov, exclaimed quite smugly. Kore knew very little about the Queen's advisor, aside from his name and the fact he was always there whenever she was summoned to the Reef. In some cases, it was the Prince of Crows himself that would provide Kore with her next task from the Queen. Never failing to be disapproving of her very existence with each and every visit. Even now he was grinning condescendingly, pleased with the Guardian's quarrel with her ghost.

He stepped down from the Queen's throne and stood at Kore's level. "If she wants to leave, let her," he said loud enough for the Queen to hear and keep his intense gaze matched with the Guardian. "We don't owe this Guardian a thing," he growled, sneering as he gave her the once over.

However, the Queen's curiosity was only heightened. "I must insist," she finally said in a tone that couldn't be argued. At that she stood, "What would your Speaker say of the Reef if I allowed it to return bleeding in its broken ship?" Kore knew in that moment she wouldn't be leaving the Reef anytime soon and resorted to a defeated sigh—there was no refusing the Queen.

Ghost floated close again, "She insists."

By now, Kore was beyond frustrated, tired, and the pain in her arm was beginning to throb. Her resolve was beyond defeated. Nodding, the Guardian looked past Uldren towards the Queen, "Of course Your Grace, if you'll have us." The guard tasked with escorting the Guardian and her ghost stepped forward and waved a curt hand towards the door. Kore bowed her head to the Queen and quickly followed the guard out of the throne room.

All the while Uldren's eyes followed her, unsatisfied with his sister's invitation. He never did understand her keen interest in the Guardian, or to what purpose she ultimately had to continue the relationship with her. Sure the Warlock had proved herself formidable when she returned with the Gate Lord's head and had since heeded every summon the Queen made without question, but it still wasn't enough to warrant the good graces of Uldren himself. Once the Guardian's footsteps were nothing but a soft echo in the distance, he turned back towards the throne, "If I may speak freely, I do not deem it wise to to house the Guardi—"

"Your eyes follow it," the Queen interrupted, catching the Prince off guard.

Uldren grimaced and deflected the statement, "I am simply making sure the Guardian knows her place."

The Queen's expression never changed and remained unconvinced by her brother's reply. "It does as I ask without so much a peep of hesitation," she went on to say, descending the steps past him. "Perhaps," she said over her shoulder as she paused in her step, "It will stay until I've found a new task—"

"Why?" It was now Uldren's turn to interject, perplexed by his sister's lack of concern. "She is not one of us. Why do you carry such interest in this Guardian?"

A rare grin crossed the Reef Queen's pale lips. "Because dear brother," she said as she lifted a hand towards his face, "Your eyes follow it."


	2. Chapter 2

**Here is another 'set-up' chapter while I try to figure out just where the story is going. Wanted to introduce more of the Guardian's mystery, as well as the Prince's reasons for being interested in her. As always, enjoy and let me know what you think :)**

* * *

 _ **2**_

* * *

Kore, he noticed, never had a hair out of place—despite her Ghost's allusion to a haste escape into space. Cut at the shoulders and parted in the middle, her dark hair style was unlike the other humans he had come across. And perhaps that was what first drew the Prince's attention to his sister's newest trophy. She was, after all, a Guardian that was treading dangerously between loyalty to her people and loyalty to the Queen. Uldren recalled the earlier comment from his sister and sneered. It was his job to watch the enemy, just as he was now, leaning in the shadow outside of her doorway—waiting for what he most desired: a reason to remove the Guardian from the Reef. Permanently.

He tilted his head towards the light coming through the partially opened door, where he could see Kore sitting with her back to him and her little machine hovering over her. Uldren watched the Ghost swing back and fourth in front of her bowed head, before sinking below the warlock's eye level. "I'm sorry," he started, bulb flashing in sync with his words, "I shouldn't have said that—I didn't mean it." The Prince remembered the Guardian's spat with the Ghost and how it came to an abrupt end with a sharp jab on his part.

"Why are you apologizing?" Uldren raised a brow, surprised by Kore's cold response. She stood and walked to the full-length window in the room, revealing the fresh bandage on her wounded arm from this new angle. "What you said was true, I'm not your Guardian," she reiterated as she pressed her hand against the pane of glass that stood between her and open space.

The Ghost flew to her side, less surprised by Kore's answer. "Maybe not originally, but I am now. That's what he—" suddenly the 'ball' caught himself mid-sentence and paused, drawing further curiosity from the Awoken spy at their door. "The Speaker told me I could choose and I chose you. We're a team now Guardian." Despite the continuation, it was obvious the subject of the Ghost's first comment was not the Speaker. Silence met the companions after that, something Ghost quickly tried to avoid. "We'll be expected when we return, the Speaker wonders of our long absence from the Tower. He will want to know why we've been helping the Awoken—"

Uldren took this as an invitation to make his entrance, interrupting the tail of Ghost's words. Kore turned with her arms crossed as he swaggered into the room, taking notice that the warlock was stripped down to the jumpsuit worn under her armor, the top half unzipped and tied around her waist so her injury could be easily attended to. Her Ghost flickered angrily, quickly realizing that Uldren had been eavesdropping, but Kore remained stone faced. Acknowledging the tension, Uldren paced closer towards her, smirking with each step. "Please continue," his voice toned as it always was with the outsiders—resentful and sarcastic. "I too would like to understand why a Guardian with a Ghost that is not even hers is really doing coming out to the Reef?" Uldren harshly inquired.

"Because I owe the Queen," Kore answered simply, arms still crossed and matching his glare—less obedient to his sharp gaze than she was hours prior.

That amused him. "Ah yes, I recall you owing us a favor but not your allegiance—which," he continued his walk until he was close enough to reach out and touch her, "we do have if I'm not mistaken." Uldren sought to unnerve Kore, but she remained the same.

Ghost suddenly came between the two to intervene, but the Guardian gently pushed him above her shoulder. "You doubt I have good intentions?" she questioned him, momentarily catching the Prince off-guard. "I simply aim to heal the Traveler, and your Queen has aided in that pursuit," Kore continued, "if I find my way into the Black Garden and destroy the darkness that lies within, then I will owe the Queen a debt that could never be paid." The Warlock recrossed her arms before finishing, "Once the Queen no longer requires my services, then I will leave...for good. Simple as that."

"Is it truly that simple?" Uldren narrowed his yellow eyes, but Kore was still unaffected. _Most curious_. Surrendering—at least for now—the Prince sauntered back towards the doorway to leave. "Your ship should be ready by tomorrow, you and your ball of light can return to your precious Traveler," he spat with a simper. And despite the amount of disgust in those last few words, the Guardian looked distraught for another reason.

"Thank you," she forced, erasing the smirk on Uldren's face. He wasn't sure how to respond, so instead he walked off, a little puzzled.

The Prince of Crows would not see her again until later the following day, and only after some insistence from his sister was he slowly making his way to the hangar to give the Guardian a "proper" send off. Uldren wasn't quite sure what game the Queen was playing, but for now, he was willing to play along. Kore's frank coldness towards her Ghost was a stark difference from the prim and proper woman she represented in court. It had left him wondering what mood he would find her in once he reached his destination.

He took the steps two at a time as he made the last descent into the hangar, immediately spotting a tight-lipped Kore with her arms crossed. At her side was Variks the Loyal, off on a wordy tangent as he gestured to the jumpship with his mechanical prostheses. The Warlock was merely nodding, eyes following her Ghost as he disappeared and reappeared through their ship. True to his word, the Guardian's ship was ready to whisk them back to Earth. Uldren masked his presence with a slow approach, trying to catch a candid Kore again, but to no avail. She turned her head, giving him narrow-eyed stare before bringing her attention back to the conversation she was ignoring with Variks. The Prince couldn't help but smirk.

The loyal Fallen silenced once Uldren's presence was known and bowed as gracefully as he could manage, dismissing himself with one look from the Prince, whom was now alone with the Guardian.

"That ship of yours was entirely dreadful," he commented into the silence, stepping past Kore to giver her new jumpship the once over.

From above, Ghost chimed in with agreement. "He's right," his voice slightly echoed as he continued to examine the ship.

Kore's gaze lingered on her overly honest companion before meeting Uldren's, cautious not to betray herself again. "We didn't need a new ship," she argued, brows slightly knitted together.

Uldren's smirk widened, "Another gift from the Queen, surely you're not insisting on refusing?"

"Not that I'd have a choice now," she spat through gritted teeth.

A dark chuckle left his lips, "Ah right." He remembered the fond sound of metal ripping and crunching when they scrapped her previous jumpship, despite the life still left in it. Unfortunately for the Guardian, her damaged ship had provided the Prince with an opportunity he couldn't pass up. In fact, the gifted ship had entirely been of his own doing and not his sister's. "Well, now you have a new shiny ship to take you home..." he added, watching her flinch at the word 'home'. "Unless," he stepped up to Kore so what he could say next would be heard in a whisper, "you'd rather stay?" He only intended to get under the Warlock's skin, to push and pull at those secret motives he knew she carried. But Uldren was surprised to see Kore almost give the notion serious thought.

Before he could probe further, however, Ghost was suddenly clearing his throat between the two. "Ready when you are Guardian," he voiced carefully, glaring—if at all possible—at the Awoken.

Kore untangled herself from Uldren's tempting words and walked towards the new jumpship. "Safe travels...Guardian," he called after her, smirking all the while.

She ignored him this time and allowed herself to be teleported into the cockpit without a proper farewell. Uldren watched satisfied as the jumpship backed from where it had been docked, ready to make the long trek back to Earth. He turned on his heel, ready to depart from the hangar, but was abruptly stopped by a most unlikely voice. The Prince looked back to see Kore's Ghost, hovering just out of reach. "A parting gift from the Guardian," Ghost spoke proudly before materializing the said 'gift'. Uldren held his hand out to catch what fell from mid-air and Kore's companion disappeared with the ship before the anger could reach his face.

The Prince clenched his fist around the handful of little blinking red lights—each belonging to the number of monitoring devices he had hidden in the Guardian's jumpship.


	3. Chapter 3

**Not much to say here today, except to enjoy :)**

* * *

 _ **3**_

* * *

"Home, sweet home," Ghost hummed, spawning an uncomfortable twitch from Kore. They had just broke through Earth's atmosphere smoothly and were now descending towards the Tower—standing proudly in the Traveler's ever protecting shadow. The warlock hid her fluster by immediately contacting the Tower and fidgeting in her seat. Ghost sank below her shoulder apologetically, "I, uh, sorry." Kore knew that Ghost had nothing to apologize for, but could only bring herself to give him a slight forgiving nod. She would never admit it, but she missed hearing those three words—just not from Ghost. Mentally preparing herself for the audience she would soon have, Kore inhaled and guided the jumpship into the ever nearing hangar.

And an audience she had. As soon as she and Ghost teleported from the jumpship, everyone dropped what they were doing to fixate on the foreign machinery. Kore, however, was in no mood to stay around for the gossip that often followed her returns and made her way to the plaza. She sighed, reveling in the familiar hustle and bustle of the vendors and guardians now surrounding her. The sun was just setting, casting an orange glow across the last city. Kore closed her eyes to feel the welcoming warmth across her face, cherishing a moment she could never have at the Reef. With that thought she blinked her eyes open again, wondering just how soon it would be until the Queen would have her called back to the asteroid belt. Somehow, the very idea left her rather eager.

Suddenly very aware of a third presence, Kore turned herself towards the nearing footsteps and a recognized face.

He opened his arms to her, defeated, but the Guardian remained rooted. "Could never sneak up on you," he grinned and resolved to just patting her on the arm. However, Kore barely managed to cover a hiss when Ghost quickly intervened.

"Careful," he warned and began scanning her arm, "she's injured."

Kore pushed Ghost away almost immediately. "It's nothing."

"Sure it is," the hunter countered with a knowing grin. "Come on," he pulled on her arm again and carefully lead her away from the plaza.

The warlock followed her fellow Guardian to the apartment he shared with the fireteam—"all out patrolling the Cosmodrome" according to him. Kore stepped into the lounge and the gave the room a quick once over. Nothing had changed much since the last time she was here. The clutter had increased from the lack of time spent in the apartment and an arsenal of cleaned weaponry was left on a table nearby as they passed through into a hallway. The hunter stepped into an open doorway at the end of the hall, but Kore was stuck outside. She couldn't tear her eyes away from a closed door opposite of his and her stomach dropped, leaving behind a dizzy nausea. Suddenly she felt a hand on her shoulder, drawing her attention away, and thankfully so. The hunter nudged his head for her to go in and she did.

Ghost decided to stay behind and return to the hangar, wanting to give their new ship another once over. Which left her alone with the other guardian—a hunter named Zeus. Kore kept her eyes on his broad back, watching observantly as he removed his leather jacket and left it draped over a chair in the room. He was the second tallest person she knew, towering a good foot or more over her despite the inches she gained wearing her boots. He was very handsome and popular with the female guardians—human, awoken, and exo alike—with his dirty blonde hair in a messy faux hawke, some scruff he didn't shave off this morning, and hazel eyes that "smoldered" according to Holliday. Her eyes followed him until he left the room. Kore waited before hesitantly sinking into the edge of his bed. This wasn't the bedroom she visited when she came to the apartment.

Zeus was back almost as soon as he was gone, pausing at the sight of her sitting on his bed. The hunter held up a medical kit to explain his sudden disappearance before dragging a chair over to sit in front of her. "Come on," he coaxed by tugging on her sleeve, "let me look at it." Kore knew he was referring to the injury Ghost so blatantly announced to him and began to strip. All she had these last few weeks was her various layers of armor, so it took the warlock a minute or two before her arm was bare to him. Zeus pulled back the wrapping she had done at the Reef, revealing the deep burn she had gotten on Mars. "How'd you get that?" he asked half-heartedly—Kore knew he had an idea. She didn't answer and instead found herself focused on a photograph by the side of the bed. "This'll leave a scar, but it's the quickest option right now," he said, words going through one ear and out the other.

Kore looked down at her arm. The pulsing pain was gone, along with the wound, but ultimately replaced how the hunter said it would be. In its place was a long crescent scar, smooth and white like her ivory skin—and one of many. Zeus touched the scar, caressing its curve with calloused finger tips and a gentle touch. Too gentle. The warlock carefully recoiled and reached for her cloak. "Thanks," she croaked, voice suddenly stuck as she tried to grab her things.

The hunter sank back in his chair, trying to hide both his frustration and disappointment.

"Thanks," she repeated at the doorway, "I mean it." Kore was trying to smooth over the tension suddenly hanging between them, at the same time reminding him there was a line he was crossing.

Zeus met her gaze, anger boiling over as he crossed his arms and sighed, resigning to a defeated smile. He stood up then, towering over her like he always did, and yanked his coat on. "I'll walk you to the Speaker," the hunter answered, catching her by surprise. "That is why you came back right?" There was a bite to his words, and a pang of guilt crept through her, but he reassured her there was no ill intent when his grin widened. "Come on," he gently squeezed her arm and headed down the hallway. Kore's eyes drifted back to the closed door from earlier, lingering long enough to blink before quickly following after the Guardian.

Upon her arrival, the Speaker immediately inquired about her long absence—as expected—prompting a quick summary from her, minus the errands she had ran for the Queen. In return, Kore was tipped off about an area beyond the Scablands that might have what she sought: the power to charge the Gate-Lord's eye. As a result, she left the Tower North feeling the most accomplished she had in weeks and with renewed hope that she was a step closer to the Black Garden than she was a moment ago. First, she would need to pay a visit to the Hunter Vanguard for better intel. Approaching the plaza to make her way to the Hall of Guardians, Kore was met again with Zeus who was waiting by the entrance with his own Ghost.

"Here," he immediately said as she stepped into his shadow, dropping something into her hand. Kore looked down to see a new warlock bond, the very one she had pointed out over a month ago. "Your Ghost said you lost yours on Mars," he answered before she could even ask. "Don't complain and just take it, alright," he snapped jokingly as she opened her mouth to protest. It was clear to Kore that Zeus was trying to make-up for the awkward moment he had created earlier and too tired to put up a better fight, Kore feigned a smile and placed the bond in her pocket for later. "See," Zeus said happily, "that wasn't so hard." The hunter cheerfully pocket his hands into his leather jacket, awaiting the perfect moment to ask what had been on his mind the entire time. "So...will you," he paused, making sure he had her full attention, "Are you sticking around this time?"

A part of Kore wanted to say "yes"—that she was here to continue her Guardian's plight and that alone. But then she thought of the Reef and her words were lost on the tongue. The warlock met Zeus's soft gaze on her, eager to hear what she would say next. And as she opened her mouth, a different voice followed.

"Zeus..Kore," came the mechanical tenor of the exo Cayde-6—the very person she sought to visit next. "I'm not interrupting something am I?" the Hunter Vanguard inquired with a humored smirk and pointed fingers.

Kore quickly shook her head, "No. I was actually on my way to see you." The later caught Zeus off-guard the most, whose disappointment was displaced with curiosity that matched the Vanguard's.

"What a coincidence," Cayde-6 said, "I've come to fetch you." The warlock was puzzled by this. The Vanguards rarely interacted with the other classes, and Ikora wasn't one to send others to do her 'fetching'. Cayde-6 picked-up on the confusion almost immediately and supplied an answer, although it only continued the mystery—at least for Zeus. "A representative from the Reef is here, specifically asked for you and I'm the lucky guy that gets to play Kadi-55," he jested, trying to spur some humor in the tension that just entered the air.

"The Reef..." Zeus repeated and looked at Kore's face for answers.

Instead she ignored his denser gaze, "I suppose I should speak to them first then." And before Zeus could suggest tagging along, the warlock walked away. Cayde-6 soon matched her footfalls, nudging her to quickly inform Kore she was heading in the wrong direction. They were heading to the floors below the plaza, where more private and important meetings could be held with little interruption from the coming and going of Guardians. The Hunter Vanguard was rather chatty, happy to leave the confines of the Hall, where Ikora was 'no fun' and Zavala 'too serious'. She was familiar with the exo's personality—knowing mostly hunters did that. Kore was often present when Zeus and the fireteam visited the Hall, either making purchases from the Vanguard or just there to have conversation. Over time she became just acquainted with Cayde as she was with her own Vanguard.

Eventually the two stopped at an open doorway that lead into an opened room with a grand view of the city skyline. "I'll catch you later then," Cayde-6 commented after she mentioned the Speaker had suggested to see with him about her mission. Kore gave the exo a knowing nod and watched him disappear down the hallway before stepping across the threshold. Almost immediately she made a straight line towards the floor length window, a reminder of the room she had been given by the Queen. The warlock was just an arms length from the glass when she was taken by surprise.

Suddenly spun around and forced against the window, Kore had but a moment before being pushed against the glass. The warlock inhaled as cold metal nicked the skin just above her collar. She'd seen this blade up close before and it didn't take much for her to know its owner.

"Miss me?"


	4. Chapter 4

**First just want to say thanks to all the fav-ers, followers, and reviewers. I honestly had no expectations for this to have any readers and end up as a guilty pleasure for myself, but I'm glad there are others here to enjoy it. My goal is to try and punch out another chapter or two before Taken King, but we'll see how that goes. As always, enjoy, and thanks again :)**

* * *

 _ **4**_

* * *

With a deft hand perfectly aligning the blade to her jugular, the corner of Uldren's mouth crept up in a satisfied smirk. At the same time, his golden eyes sank to the thread of blood rolling down her neck, lingering only for a moment before matching her piercing gaze. The Master of Crows clicked his tongue at the warlock, humored by her ever cold performance towards him. In response, she tipped her chin up and stretched her skin against the edge, coaxing the cut to open further and catching the Prince by surprise. Uldren's grip softened at that, ultimately falling away and freeing Kore from his lethal reach. All the while his grim smile never left his face. This woman never ceased to trigger his curiosity.

The Queen's brother returned the bloodied dagger to its sheath—chuckling. "So this is what is so precious to you Guardians," he said, parading slowly towards the far end of the window and waving a disinterested hand. "Your _Traveller_ ," he beckoned at the Traveller, illuminating a snowy glow over the city below, "a giant ball of light?"

"Why are _you_ here?" she answered with a complete disregard to his disparaging remark, crudely emphasizing his very existence.

Uldren shared the warlock's sentiment, but was far from admitting so. The decision for him to make the trek from the Reef to Earth hadn't been his own, and only came after Kore had left him high and dry with a fist full of his monitoring devices. He was in the long dark hallway leading from the hangar, trying to figure out how the Guardian had discovered his devices when Petra Venj came rushing around the corner. The Queen's Emissary immediately took notice of him, and despite the Prince's every intention to ignore her, the former Corsair stepped directly in his path and wouldn't let him pass. "Where's the Guardian?" she demanded, hopefully peeking over his shoulder.

"Gone," he answered quickly, frustrated his train of thought had been disturbed. Uldren was sure he had hid his toys well within the jumpship's infrastructure, out of sight and out of mind—even for a Ghost.

A moment of panic came to Petra's eye, eliciting a moment of interest from the Prince. "That's not good," she muttered.

"And why is—" he began, not in the mood to deal with the Emissary's quirks, but he immediately cut himself off.

The Queen was approaching, followed closely by her entourage of loyal Fallen guards. His sister—Mara—never went out of her way to follow a messenger, yet here she was, heading straight for them. Uldren quickly hid the Guardian's "gifts" behind his back, careful not to appear surprised by Mara's sudden entrance. Both he and Petra bowed respectively to the Queen, whom immediately eyed her brother suspiciously. The Fallens knocked their staffs on the ground as they came to a stop, blocking the hallway. Mara Sov did not stop immediately though, but brushed past her subjects and gazed almost longingly down the hallway. "It is not here," she whispered, audible enough for Uldren to hear the disappointment in her voice. "The Guardian," she addressed, turning on a heal to face her advisor, "you will bring it back."

A crease fell between his brow. Him?

"Allow me Your Grace," Petra stood straighter as she volunteered through Uldren's pause.

"No," Mara decreed, "He will bring the Guardian back to the Reef."

The Prince still had yet to respond and the Queen's brow began to furrow, but Petra understood the Queen's order quite clearly. "He will leave on the hour," she interjected, shooting the silent Uldren a curt glare. "I will inform him of the situation," the Emissary continued, giving her Queen another nod.

Mara looked from Petra to her brother, whom gave her an acknowledged nod despite the many questions at the tip of his tongue. Satisfied, the Queen walked away with a purpose, her stride quickly leading her back down and out of the hallway. Uldren waited until the clicks of her heels were a distant echo before turning to Petra. "What's going on?"

The memory did little to help relieve the nuisance of his now being on Earth, doing his sister's bidding. And the long silence made the Guardian rather bold.

"Did you get my parting gifts?" Her voice poked and prodded at the little patience he had for the situation he was in, bringing Uldren to look back at her again. By now she was rubbing the knick on her neck, staining the sleeve of her cloak as she waited knowingly. The scowl that had been adorning his face twitched into another smirk, just as knowing. Uldren clasped his hands behind himself and walked back towards Kore, who still stood with her back against the window. As he neared, her hand fell back to her side and she watched him with a careful glare. "I tried not to break them all," she mocked.

Uldren chuckled lowly, "Cute." He stopped just an arms length from her, close enough to push her up against the glass with little force if he so desired. "Does your boyfriend find you this charming?" The color drained from Kore's face and the warlock froze to her spot in front of the window. He relished in this, daring a step closer to her, knowing there was nowhere else for her to go. "Oh?" the Spymaster mocked, "Did you think you found them all?"

Luckily he hadn't only bugged the jumpship.

The Prince closed the distance between himself and the Guardian, reaching for her collar. Startled, Kore unexpectedly had her long slender fingers suddenly wrapped around his wrist with surprising strength. "Do not touch me," she threatened darkly. Uldren only continued to smile. With his free hand, he slid his fingers through her collar and produced one of his listening devices. Kore gave him a scorned glare, nails driving into his sleeve as her grip tightened. "Why are you here?" she repeated, flush with anger as she shoved him away.

"Ah, straight to business as always," he surrendered, saving the taunting for later. Uldren replaced his smirk with an air of seriousness as he repeated Petra's words in his head. "Why else would I be here?" the Prince sighed.

This caught all of Kore's attention, whose fury was replaced with a hint of enthusiasm. "The Queen sent you," the warlock stated matter-of-factly, beginning to rub her neck again. "Is she in need of my services so soon?" she made a struggled attempt to sound annoyed, but the Guardian's voice gave her away. There was an eagerness there that he noticed she had every now and then, as if she'd rather be off doing the Queen's bidding.

"A prisoner of ours was stolen some time ago," Uldren began, "the theft resulted in the death of your boyfriend—"

"Acquaintance," she corrected sharply.

He scoffed, curious how this _Zues_ would feel to being cheapened to such a relationship, but they had more important business at hand. "Your _acquaintance's_ former Vanguard," the Spymaster finished. Kore immediately picked-up on the seriousness of the matter as he continued, "We've finally acquired the location of the prisoner, and the Queen has asked that you personally deliver on this bounty." A spark of excitement lit up on the warlock's face, her emerald eyes darting through the air in deep thought. This was how she always was before being sent off on an errand for the Queen—carefully calculating the risks in her head, nervously tapping her fingers against her thigh, biting her lip. "Eager to leave already?" he couldn't help but jeer.

"When does she require my presence back on the Reef?" Kore asked straight away, formally crossing her arms.

Uldren began backtracking from the window, "We'll leave for Venus tomorrow."

" _We_?" she hardly masked her surprise that time, causing him to hesitate before turning his back on her.

"The Queen has ordered I be present this mission," the Prince gave the Guardian an equally disgusted look at the very notion, but he couldn't go against his sister. "I guess that makes us partners this round," he smirked over his shoulder. And with that said, he left the room with piqued curiosity, wondering what interesting things would become of this undesired collaboration.


	5. Chapter 5

**So I'm kinda on a roll here and hopefully this will roll into at least one more chapter before tuesday, but i'll see. This is going to be one of the few 'flashback' chapters, that will help develop Kore more. You'll know it's a flashback if the chapter title I have below ends in a .5 There will probably only be 4-5 of these, unless this story ends up being longer than planned. As a heads up, I'm planning this story to cover the main story of Destiny, a sequel to do House of Wolves, and if there's a three-quel, will get into Taken King. So that's the plan, but who knows if that's what I'll be following. Alright, as always enjoy, and thanks again to everyone who has taken the time to review.**

* * *

 _ **4.5**_

* * *

"Kore your arm...!"

The Guardian slammed herself against the wall of a rusted cargo crate, her bloodied left arm swinging at her side—lifeless. The sharp pain in her shoulder was finally going numb, but below that was an eerie feeling of nothingness as she sank to the ground. Kore bit back a grunt as she quickly assessed the situation. Unprepared, she was down to a single clip for her hand cannon and the shotgun she had was lost somewhere on the battlefield. Besides the obvious wound to her arm, the warlock had taken a bullet to the leg and helmet, which luckily enough was just a graze. However, the resulting crack in her visor was now letting toxic fumes into her mask. If she didn't bleed out, Kore was sure to go out choking on a lung.

"Your vital signs are dropping..." her Ghost spoke into her ear, trying to encourage some effort from the dying woman.

Kore dropped her shooting arm into her lap—defeated. A simple patrol through the Rocketyard had suddenly evolved into all out warfare between the Fallen and Hive, leaving her completely off-guard and incredibly outnumbered. She probably could have made an escape if it hadn't been for the sudden influx of Ultras, each immediately picking-up on the presence of a Guardian. Only a few months since being resurrected and Kore was already heading back to an early grave.

A haggard sigh echoed in her helmet and Ghost materialized before her, worrisome as always. "Please Kore, you must move," it pleaded softly in its motherly tone.

The cargo crate shook violently as it took a mirage of gunfire and the brunt of a grenade, a minor prelude to what was coming. "They'll be on us soon," the warlock murmured, forcing herself to reload her hand cannon through the awkward pain. "You can make it out of here unharmed and unnoticed—" Kore silenced herself as a tall shadow come over the companions.

Of all things, it had to be the Knight that found them. Ghost swung in front of Kore, as a final line of defense, but they both knew it was futile. The Guardian had still yet to reload her weapon and was entering a state of panic as the Knight growled whilst raising its Boomer—the blast being devastating at this distance. The warlock wished she had more time to remember this life as she stared down the Knight. She could hear the nest of Husk startle in the distance, their distinct screeches vibrating through her ears. Kore wasn't entirely sure how she had died the first time, but she prayed it had not been like this.

"Kore..." Ghost called to her.

Preparing for the worst, she answered with a dry voice, "Yes?"

"I won't leave your side."

Ghost's words silenced the chaos that then ensued.

The Guardian was already fading in and out when the Knight finally attacked, sending a barrage of blasts that suddenly ricocheted in various directions. Kore let out a shaky gasp and Ghost momentarily floated away. "A shield..." it whispered, words ringing through the translucent blue sphere that encased them. They were safe at least for the moment, but that left an angry Knight that immediately roared as it glowed red. Ghost floated back to Kore's side. "That's not good...this shield isn't going to last much longer," her companion warned. Kore began embracing herself for the inevitable, but was met with yet another surprise.

A rain of bullets and grenades came form nowhere. Both Fallen and Hive alike were letting go cries of defeat as their corpses hit the ground. The Knight raised its boomer at the new force, but immediately met its demise from a distant sniper shot. Kore wasn't sure what to make of what was happening, except that she wouldn't die from the Thrall clawing her face off. However, there was still the chance she was going to succumb to the toxins—at least that would be more peaceful. Relief flooded through her aching body and staying conscious was now the least of her worries.

As her eyes fogged over, Kore recognized bodies of armor cross the battlefield and continue to take out the rest of the enemy. _Guardians?_ She blinked, and suddenly one of them was stepping through the shield just as it dispelled. The warlock felt herself rising from where she had given up, but not much after that. When all senses would return to her, Kore was no longer in the Cosmodrome.

Instead, she promptly recognized her new surroundings to be the interior of a jumpship—however, not hers.

She was tucked into a small cot. Stripped of her cloak and armor, the only thing keeping her warm was a scratchy blanket and a large leather jacket. The warlock's wounds had been dressed, and the burning in her left arm was a good sign it was in the midst of healing. Kore moaned as she stretched that arm, confirming she wasn't experiencing a phantom pain. Her movements were loud enough to catch the attention of a Ghost—also not hers. "...awake..." she heard briefly through the grogginess of waking up, and from the cockpit Kore could hear motion that didn't belong to any Ghost.

A titan poked his head through the threshold and then returned to the controls. Assuming to put the ship in auto-pilot since he soon was walking towards her. "What's your name?" he questioned, sitting across from her.

Without his helmet, Kore noticed—like her—he was human. He was the epitome of tall, dark, and handsome, which kept the warlock in her silence. Clearly a military man, the titan was clean-cut and clean shaven, dark chestnut hair only slightly longer down the middle and crisp hazel eyes to go with. His deep voice slightly boomed as he repeated himself, causing Kore to slightly recoil into the uncomfortable blanket before forcing an answer. "Kore," her voice cracked and she fell into a fit of coughs before the titan retrieved a flask of water for her.

"How long have you been back from the dead?" the titan asked, surprising her.

Kore's dark eyes fell to the floor, "How can you tell..."

The titan smirked and leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "You greenhorns have an air about you," he answered humorously. "So how long?"

"Three—four months maybe," she said, trying to push herself up into a sitting position. When her right hand nearly slipped form under her, the titan was ready on his feet to catch her, but somehow Kore managed and proceeded to wrap herself tightly with the blanket. "I was sure I was good as dead..." the warlock thought back to staring down the barrel of the Knight's boomer and a chill ran through her arm.

"Yeah, if we hadn't picked-up your Ghost's distress signal, you would of been."

"Where is my Ghost?" Kore muttered.

"She's with your ship, we'll meet her back at the Tower, but in the meantime..." the titan suddenly crouched in front of her. Even so, she still had to look up at him as he leaned towards her. "We're gonna stay in orbit until you've detoxed a little more," he said quietly. Kore flinched a little as the titan reached over her shoulders and pulled the jacket snuggly over her. Suddenly a new feeling of warmth blossomed through her, "...and until your arm starts to get its basic functions back."

Kore pulled on the collar of the jacket to close it more around her, feeling the tug of the titan's fingers as he smoothed his hands over her shoulders. "Thank you..." she whispered, tailing off when she realized she didn't know his name. Recognizing the question in her face, the titan opened his mouth ready to supply an answer, but it was another voice that beat him to it.

"Jax—hey bro, you there?"

The titan—Jax—pinched the bridge of his nose as he released an annoyed groan, "Leave it to my brother to steal my introduction."

Summoned to the cockpit, Jax leaned against the open doorway as he answered, careful not to give way to his irritation. "Loud and clear Zeus," he answered.

"Hey how's the patient?" the interrupter said, voice loud enough for Kore to hear.

Jax paused for a moment and gave Kore a long side glance, leaving her squirming a bit from his intense gaze. "She's good," he at last said, "We'll be returning to the tower in just a minute."

"Good to hear," this Zeus replied, "Hey we'll be at our table when you get in, meet us there."

The brothers mumbled goodbyes to one another, and Jax sank back into the pilot's chair in the cockpit before beginning to fidget with the controls. Kore caught sight of the titan's Ghost again, leaving her homesick for the company of her own. Assuming any further conversation was over, the warlock laid back and did her best to get comfy in the cot. She pulled the cool leather of the jacket and tucked it under her chin, finding solace in the familiar descent of the jumpship. And just as the Traveler came into sight, Kore could hear a murmur about home from the titan.

Once they arrived at the hangar, Kore quickly redressed in her lighter items and followed Jax out with his Ghost. Almost immediately her own Ghost was there, buzzing around the Guardian with her own examination, and before she could say anything, Jax was saying goodbye. "Maybe I'll see you around," was all he said, a faint but charming grin gracing his sharp features, "Kore." The titan nodded at her and walked off, followed closely behind by his Ghost. The warlock couldn't even get in a word herself before noticing he had left her with his jacket.

"I'm glad you're okay Kore," Ghost said softly, "And if I had arms, I'd hug you right now."

At that Kore smiled slightly distracted, "I'm glad you're okay too."

"What took so long to return to the Tower?" her Ghost inquired.

"He said we should wait for my detox to be done..." she answered.

Ghost narrowed her lens at Kore, "but you would of been fine here."

Kore matched her Ghost's curiosity with a narrowed eye, carefully tracing the path the titan had taken from the hangar, until she could suddenly see him again. Hesitation had fallen what had been a quick departure on his part, and he stood watching her from the exit. He was still smiling and she felt all but compelled to return the gesture. And as if satisfied, Jax disappeared around the corner. Leaving her unsure what the titan's true intentions had been.


	6. Chapter 6

**Sorry about the delay. Got sidetracked by The Taken King—which is amazing!—and then I went on vacation. Hope to get back to regularly updating the story now that I'm back. As always, thanks for reading and enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **5**_

* * *

 _Tap. Tap. Tap._

The leather jacket tucked over Kore's shoulder slipped into her lap as she stirred awake—disturbed by the sudden rattling at the window of her jumpship. As she squinted into the dark, Zeus's Ghost blinked at her through the glass and then disappeared once she sat up. Yawning, the warlock realized it wasn't even the break of dawn, and that the sky was still shrouded in darkness. She had spent the entire night scouring every nook and cranny of the Coldsnap BKR "gifted" to her by the Awoken, guaranteeing she had removed all of the Prince's means of spying on her. After he managed to slip a mic on her collar, Kore was taking no chances. The search had wore her down eventually, and the warlock surrendered to what ended up as a quick nap in the pilot's chair.

"It's Zeus...and his ghost..." Ghost spoke with an amount of disdain as he suddenly appeared, lighting the cockpit gradually as Kore grew wider awake. "What does he want—" he started to whisper, but fell silent and buzzed mid-air as his companion got to her feet and leaned over the dash to look out of the jumpship. "He wants you yo join him for a walk..." Ghost went on to say, watching as Kore carefully folded the leather jacket over her chair before pulling on her boots. "Should I come along?"

Kore gave Ghost a brief smile and pulled a jacket over her bare arms, "I'll be fine."

"Good," he hummed a sigh of relief, "I can't stand his Ghost."

Slowly she maneuvered herself from the jumpship docked close to the main floor of the hangar, moving through an open hatch on the side, and landing gracefully on her feet. Zeus was standing with his hands in his pockets, flashing her that dumb admiring grin of his as Kore approached with her arms crossed. She maybe had four hours of sleep, but after leaving him high and dry the day before, the warlock was willing to humor the hunter. He gave Kore the usual once over, hardly hiding the fact he liked her—as more than friends. Thankfully he was subtle enough that Kore could still depend on him as a friend when she needed it, and if the universe had been a bit more kinder, she might of fallen for the charming blade dancer.

She raked her teeth across her bottom lip and masked a yawn with a sigh, "Zues—"

Before she could even finish, he pressed a finger to his lips. "Shut up and take my hand," he extended an open palm to her, being surprisingly demanding. Kore stared at his hand for a moment. Taking it would mean one of two things: she was finally succumbing to his advances or he knew exactly how to cheer her up. Slipping her fingers into his open hand, Zeus immediately began to drag her away, all the while keeping her hopefully close.

In a whirlwind, the duo had made their way to The Wall—the last line of defense. A bleak reminder of a time before the Collapse. Built by titans, the almost skeletal remains of the wall began to glitter as the sun began to make its arrival beyond the horizon. Kore stepped closer towards the edge, oblivious to the proud smirk of Zeus as he held onto her hand—down to the last fingertip—as she moved away from him. The began to turn a violent red as the new day began. It had been a while since she'd watched the sunrise like this, in safety and with sleepy eyes. The warlock felt the corners of her mouth creep up faintly. _Too long._

Closing her eyes, Kore allowed the sun's heat to devour her.

After a while, once blue sky reached the clouds, Zeus carefully cleared his throat and stepped up to her, nudging Kore gently with his elbow. "Kore," he started quietly, noticing her eyes were still closed. "I know things have been tough, but you know we're here for you—I'm here for you..." the hunter hadn't planned to inject himself like that, but he couldn't help himself. "Ever since Eris sent us into the Hellmouth—"

"Zeus," Kore interrupted. She did not want to talk about that. Not a single word. The warlock turned, so her back was now facing the morning light and giving her a halo. Zeus didn't even blink. "I'll be okay," her voice immediately betrayed her. "Eventually," she quickly added, "but what about you?"

She wouldn't admit it, but Kore worried about the hunter too.

"Eventually," he echoed with a sad smile.

Kore cleared the distance between them, making a rare move. She tugged on the hunter's arms, forcing them from his pockets and casually wrapping them around her shoulders. Zeus was hesitant at first, the awkwardness of the sudden embrace leaving his face red, but as expected, he tightened his hold on her. In more ways than one, they were each other's family now. A part of her clung to that—literally, as she curled her fingers into his jacket. However, a stronger part could not involve him in the world she now dabbled in—the Queen's world. Kore allowed Zeus to squeeze her closer, tucking his face against her neck. She would give him this much at least.

They would of stood there for a bit longer, as the wild began to move beyond The Wall, but something caught the warlock's attention.

Picking up on her sudden discomfort, Zeus reluctantly let her go. "The team is heading out for a patrol later, you wanna tag along?" he suggested, not wanting their time together to end.

"Nah," Kore smoothly removed herself from his reach and back to the railing, "I'm gonna stay a bit longer like we use to. You can go on ahead."

The moment had passed, and Zeus bid her a forced farewell before leaving her alone on The Wall. Watching him leave, Kore side stepped to what had caught her eye. And before it could escape, she plucked the oddity from the air and turned it up in her palm.

It was a crow.

"Must return to Master—" it squirmed in her tight grip, flapping motionless in an attempt to escape. "Please don't break us too!"

An unusual smirk graced her lips, followed by an amused chuckle. "Tell your _Master_ I will meet him on Venus, by the Ember Caves..." she teased the crow by loosening her fingers, but pressed back down on it with her thumb warningly, "but I guess _you_ already know that."

As the words left her lips, clapping emerged from around the corner.

Uldren Sov made another one of his grand entrances, softly applauding her. His pale, blue skin glowed with an amused smirk stretched across his face. Kore had let her guard down—big time—and the Prince was reveling in it. The Queen's brother was battle ready as always, his dark ragged cloak swaying as a morning breeze cut between the pair. She subconsciously gave him the same once over Zeus had given her. He appeared somewhat different in the natural lighting of Earth, a vast difference to the artificial lighting at the Reef. As always, he stood taller than her, but would still of been shadowed by Zeus if he were here. His usually cold yellow eyes, were golden, but not any warmer. Seeing him like this made her stir uncomfortably where she stood, now just an arm's length away.

"It _is_ hard to sneak up on you," he finally said, although he had managed to do just that recently. However, Kore knew he was referring to Zeus's failed attempt from the day before. Uldren's eyes suddenly fell on the crow still trying to flutter free from her hand.

"Afraid I'll hurt your toy?" she snapped.

He scoffed, "Go ahead. I have plenty more."

Kore's face fell and she released the crow to its master, not amused.

The crow happily returned to Uldren. "Didn't want to introduce me to your _not_ boyfriend?" he poked, and she realized he must of been hiding in the shadows much sooner than she thought.

"He knows about my work for the Queen," she lied, "and there's no need for him to become involved."

Uldren paced by her, "Shall we head for Venus then?" He decided not to push the warlock's buttons today, and instead focus on the task ahead of them. Any quips he had would be stowed away for later.

She just as easily switched modes and uncrossed her arms. "I'll meet you there," she answered and began the long trek back to the tower.

The Prince of Crows stayed behind and observed her departure. Of course he had been eavesdropping on Kore's conversation with the hunter. As soon as his crow had followed the guardians to their destination, he was informed and quickly made his way to The Wall. He found the entire exchange amusing, and slightly curious. What happened deep down in the Hellmouth?

"Master?" the crow inquired.

"Your new task," Uldren said, making way to his own jumpship.

"Yes?"

"Find out everything you can about that woman."


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry for another delay, had too much going on at once to get a chance to sit down and work on this chapter. There's some action included in this chapter that will roll into the next, not sure I've aced writing action scenes just yet, but at least I tried. As always, enjoys, and a thank you to all the new followers this story has gotten :) Hope to get the next chapter up soon, but we'll see.**

* * *

 ** _6_**

* * *

"Remind me why you agreed to this?"

Kore looked away from messing with her bond for a moment. Was Ghost...whispering? _Click._ Promptly, the top left of her arm was cast in a very faint, purple glow once her new piece of warlock armor was in place. It was replacing the one she had lost on Mars, and Zeus had known the exact one she had wanted—Incandescent Mind. Sure it merely served to mark her as a warlock and had no other merit, but to Kore it was also a reminder. She was a Guardian—even if she didn't feel like it lately. Noticing a loose strap, Kore frowned as Ghost mumbled inaudibly as she made the adjustment, still trying to catch her attention.

"Why is he here?" Ghost went on, whispering still, but now glaring in the direction of the cockpit.

"I can hear you!" sang an annoyed voice from the driver.

Not entirely thrilled herself, Kore began stashing her empty pockets with spare ammo. She was not repeating Mars—not with _him_ tagging along.

Ghost hovered close to her ear, trying to ensure he wouldn't be overheard this time. "Are you sure about this?" his voice buzzed beside her face.

Kore had no other choice but to be sure. The Queen had chosen her specifically to carry out this mission, and if that included tolerating Uldren Sov for the duration of the hunt, then so be it. Although she expected the partnership to have started a lot later, but no, the Master of Crows was already waiting inside her ship when she reached the hangar. He insisted it was so he could save time and properly brief her on the target before they reached Venus, but she did not entirely buy it. So, when his back was turned, Kore discretely directed Ghost to start scanning the ship for more 'gifts'. Since leaving the tower, he had done the piloting whilst the warlock armored up and Ghost whistled nonchalantly at every corner of the ship. Nothing—so far.

She turned to face Ghost floating over her shoulder. "Cayde gave me the coordinates for the eye," she said, changing the conversation completely. This interested him. "When we get back, we'll head there right away," Kore finished as she examined her helmet.

"We're that close to getting through the Black Gate..." Ghost murmured in disbelief, a sentiment Kore shared.

It was hard to believe that the incredulous task had fallen onto her shoulders, and hers alone. Although, that was mostly her own doing. Zeus and the fireteam would of readily aided her in all this, but Kore resolved to do this alone. She wouldn't—couldn't—endanger the team with this. Whatever lies beyond the Black Gate, Kore will handle herself. Even if it kills her. Haven suddenly distracted herself from the conversation, the warlock nodded and forced a response, "Yeah."

Proud footsteps shuffled towards the companions then, warranting a side glance from the guardian.

Uldren Sov had his own jumpship and could of easily gave her the rundown once they had landed, since there wasn't much to say. An Archon Priest had escaped from their prison and the Queen wanted him back—simple as that. If only this woman didn't continue to entertain his curiosity. Since the warlock had first stepped into the Awoken's court, proving she had both a quickdraw and unwavering determination, he'd been inquiring about the guardian—a female human trying to save the Traveller all her lonesome. Most curious. So this morning, after he had sent his crow away to do some digging, he decided to do some investigating of his own. And since Kore was frequently traveling between Earth and the Reef, he figured her ship would be a good place to start. And it was.

She furrowed her brows, not sure what to make of the Prince's dramatic pause. He looked directly back at her, a "knowing" look across his taunt smirk as his glowing gaze fell to the leather jacket hanging heavily from a makeshift hook beside her. Kore stepped into his path of sight and crossed her arms.

"We should be close now," she said loud enough to draw his attention away from the jacket, "What was so important you had to hijack my ship?"

"Very well," Uldren leaned against the open threshold into the cockpit. "Aksor is an Archon Priest to the House of Wolves, he's a prisoner in the Prison of Elders—"

" _Was._ "

The Awoken Prince shot Ghost a glare. Kore smiled, and if Ghost had hands, she probably would of gave him a high five.

"He's behind the influx of Fallen around The City, and the death of your former Vanguard Andal Brask," he went on. "Bottom line, The Queen wants him returned to the prison."

Kore frowned. If that was all he had to say, he clearly had other motives behind tagging along for the ride, but the warlock was in no mood to argue. "If that's all," she sighed, standing with her helmet tucked between her palms. "We're here," the warlock announced, pulling the helmet over her dark tresses. The guardian forced herself past the Prince, purposely brushing shoulders with him. But before Uldren could snigger out a comment, she was gone, transported to the planet's surface before she even reached the threshold into the cockpit. She dropped to Venus's surface on her knees. The wet terrain splashed against the visor of her helmet, momentarily blinding her until she smudged it away with the palm of her hand. A second splash followed, and Kore was joined by her awoken companion.

"I'm picking up Fallen readings, they're near, we should head—"

"To the Ember Caves," Uldren finished for Ghost, whom did not like being interrupted, least of all from him. Kore scooped her floating companion from the air, bringing him close enough to see the warning look through her helmet. Defeated, Ghost disappeared from sight. "And it won't be just Fallen," the Prince went on, his voice taking on a flanged tone through his helmet. He paused, perhaps expecting some inquiry on Kore's part, but she merely remained standing in the spot she had landed—waiting. "Vex," he finally said.

The warlock could hear Ghost hum curiously into her helmet, "Vex?" They were no strangers to that enemy, thanks to a certain exo they'd cross paths with recently. Since learning of the Black Garden, Kore was finding herself encountering them more and more, even acquiring a Gate Lord's eye for the very man standing with her at one point. She didn't like facing the Vex, and the very thought brought her hand to rest subconsciously over her new vanguard bond. The Vex had won last time.

Uldren walked past her, bringing momentum to the task at hand. "I've been scouting the area," he looked back at her from over his shoulder, his tattered cape dusting against his ankles. "If we're lucky, the Vex and the Fallen will be too worried about the other to notice us moving through their territory." The Prince suddenly summoned his own sparrow and mounted it with a hunter's finesse, leaving her behind without another word.

"I hate that guy." Kore smirked at Ghost's comment and made her own way to the Ember Caves.

Their arrival to the caves was followed by a storm of bullets.

The Prince was ducked at the peak of a rock jutting towards the cave's entrance, taking aim at a Captain peaking from behind the rock. On the other hand, Kore preferred a more direct confrontation. Leaping from her sparrow before she even touched the breaks, the warlock used her speed to slide behind a rock and twist around its side just in time to shoot out the engine as it plowed through the Fallen standing guard. The resulting explosion took out all but a lonesome shank, which she swiftly shot down with her hand cannon. Climbing her way towards the cave's entrance, she took aim at the dregs and vandals standing in her way. While not a sniper like her companion, Kore had a surprisingly good aim. A mist of blood painted the rocks with each headshot she managed to score as she progressed up the hill, overstepping a dead captain and his equally dead brethren.

At some point Uldren had gotten ahead of her and was already leading the way through the cavern. She was maybe three steps behind when they were caught in the cross-fire—the first of many—between the Fallen and the Vex. With little room to maneuver, the duo had no choice but to take them out as they moved on. The way to the Winter's Lair was a long series of passages and easy caverns, each filled with Vex and Fallen that wanted to kill them as much as each other. However, they could not delay. If the House of Winter caught word that there were two agents of Queen coming for their Priest, they could make a run for it. So, despite the initial intentions to sneak their way into the lair, they instead couldn't let anyone escape the scope of their weapons.

When Kore and Uldren had finally reached an opening, the two had reached the Cinders and were met with the grand view of a Fallen ketch. She had never seen one up this close, and now wondered if that's where they would find the Archon Priest. "He's through a gate up ahead," the prince answered her unspoken question, probably picking up on her hesitation as they rounded the corner. The warlock refused to satisfy him with an answer, admitting he had indirectly read her mind, and made sure her hand cannon was loaded instead.

As he said, there was a gate up ahead, but no way reach it until they'd gone through every last Fallen and Vex.


	8. Chapter 8

**Might of gotten a little carried away, this is my longest chapter yet, but I didn't think the strike needed to be stretched into another chapter so I wanted to give it a nice wrap up here. Had a lot of fun with this one, and now we'll get start to get back into the Black Garden, unless I think of something else to interlude first...eh, we'll see. Enjoy. And thanks again to all the awesome feedback!**

* * *

 ** _7_**

* * *

The palm of Kore's hand had gone numb and her fingers tingled as she curled them one after the other into a tight fist. A harpy twitched at her feet, its red eye blinking dully until finally going dark. Behind her, the warlock listened as the final harpy dropped after three shots from Uldren, who parted from the torn machine with a fourth bullet—for good measure. He turned away from the massacre of metal and sparks, reloading the chamber of his hand cannon. She watched him through the dark tint of her visor and the Prince didn't notice her doing so until he pressed the last bullet in place. He glanced up from his loaded weapon, returning a masked stare.

Trespassing onto yet another narrow battlefield, Uldren insisted on picking them off from their view on the cliff, but Kore wouldn't stay put. She had switched to her auto rifle, shooting through the Fallen trying to crawl their way up the bridge as she cleared a path to the gate. The Vex, once focusing their aim on the sniper, immediately grew wary of Kore's presence. The goblins' upper bodies twisted away from the cliffs, blasting at the warlock one after the other. Instinctively she ducked behind the nearest rock, which brought her just a couple yards from the gate. She popped up from behind her shelter, aiming sporadically for their glowing middles. Hurriedly shoving a new clip into her gun, Kore haphazardly tossed a grenade over her shoulder. The purple blast ended up doing nothing.

"Are you even trying?"

Kore jumped as a hand cannon blasted from over her shoulder. Uldren had come down from the cliffs, although the warlock wasn't sure how she hadn't noticed him doing so, especially with the Vex being very keen on recognizing unwanted presences. The last goblin fell at her feet, splashing its white fluids across her boots. She couldn't see it, but Kore knew the Prince was smirking from behind his helmet. Ignoring him, she balanced her auto rifle against her shoulder and walked towards the closed gate. With her free hand, she presented Ghost with the task of opening it. Uldren was close behind her, "Do they not teach Guardians how to aim their throws?"

She ignored him. Kore never liked using grenades, and usually never included them in her battle strategy—unless she was panicking or in a pinch, and either as an accident or the last of last resorts. They tended never to land where she wanted them to, or be tossed at the right time. She knew better than to waste her efforts on a grenade and was internally scolding herself for doing so in front of him—of all people.

As Ghost hacked into the gate's mechanisms, the Vex bombarded them with hobgoblins and a mess of minotaurs. The duo retreated up the bridge and back towards the cliff, careful to avoid the broad-shouldered machines' heavy fire. Uldren switched back to his sniper and worked them from a distance, while Kore stayed nearby to watch his back, catching vex as they raged up the bridge. She looked for the familiar flare of Ghost's scanner from the distance, anxiety beginning to swell in her chest. This situation was hauntingly familiar.

"Move!" Suddenly Kore was pressed against the rocky wall, narrowly escaping the aim of a hobgoblin that had suddenly appeared behind them. Uldren no-scoped the vex dead and suddenly leaned into the warlock, as if recoiling from pain. She stilled, unsure how to move, perplexed by the nearness from a man she thought she despised. Thankfully, the grinding whine of another hobgoblin snapped her back into action. Kore shielded Uldren with her smaller frame, raising her hand cannon for an accurate aim as she shot the hobgoblin's head off with one clean shot, and then sending it to the ground with another. Twisting around again, she quickly took out the third one trying to sneak around a rock.

An instant later, Uldren straightened himself up and proceeded to act like nothing had happen, despite the red bleeding through his side. And together they took on the next wave of enemies, down to the last two hydras...

"Uh, Guardian?" Ghost pressed his lens against her helmet, trying to grab Kore's attention. She swatted him out of surprise, ignoring the distant scoff. "The gate's open...are you ok?"

Kore gave Ghost a distracted nod and headed for the gate, not caring if Uldren was ahead of her or following behind.

The gate led them into the Ash Coves, where they proceeded to hijack a couple pikes from the Fallen and push their way through. Now they were moving much quicker, making spare parts out of the Vex with the pike's guns. They rode through the cove until they could no more, and ran through the path that finally brought them to Winter's Run. The Fallen were waiting, but were no match for the Guardian and her Awoken companion. Fueled by the confusing tension from earlier, Kore never missed a beat and even waywardly threw a couple grenades into the fight—although with little to no results. Despite knowing that, it was a welcoming distraction for the warlock, who barely had a grasp on the anxiety thumping against her chest.

When they finally took out the last Captain, Uldren was making his way down the hill from her right, while she stood staring up at the giant pod. Aksor was inside, she could feel it. Ghost was surveying the prison capsule, careful not to start the process of releasing the Archon Priest until he was given the okay. "Do it," the Prince ordered once he reached her side. Kore squirmed out of arm's reach and repeated his words to Ghost.

Ghost scanned the capsule, which responded with a pale glow that grew brighter. Quickly the drone disappeared and Kore began to slowly back away from the cloud of steam that rolled through the opening hatch, hissing as the air escaped. First came Aksor's hand, curling around the frame of the open hatch as he took his first peek at freedom. The Archon Priest lurched forward, armed with a Shrapnel Launcher that he warningly aimed above his head. Kore was impressed by the sheer size of the Aksor, who easily devoured her in his shadow. Momentarily starstruck, a sharp tug on her arm quickly snapped her out of it. "Lets not stand where he has a clear shot of our heads!" Uldren shouted, hand firm around her wrist as they fled into the direction they had entered. By now the Winter's Run was flooding with the Fallen, clearly there to prevent them from taking their priest.

Uldren pulled her behind a column of rocks, just narrow enough for him to have his back pressed against the fixture and Kore tucked between his arms. Aksor and his minions were pelting the rock with firepower, and for a while they escaped the first wave of attacks. That was, until a bullet ricocheted and ripped through the Prince's leg. Kore heard his pain echo through his helmet and felt him limping against the rock. Finally the warlock swatted his hands away from where they were at her sides. She was not a damsel in distress. Now the only one who could move around freely, she shoved Uldren into the alcove off to the side and prepped her hand cannon. She could imagine the seething glare he was giving her through his helmet as he struggled to his feet.

"You go up," she called through the volume of gunfire, "take aim from up there." Kore motioned towards the cliff edge that over look the clearing.

He tried to stand straight and authoritative, "And why would I do that?"

Kore's hand began to tingle again and the numbness from earlier itched at her palm. She clocked a stealth vandal with the butt of her gun as he came upon her and finished him off with a headshot before its camouflage fell. A shank followed almost immediately, but met with an energy drain from the warlock's fist and immediately dissipated. "Because—" she paused abruptly to stagger Aksor with a couple shots before quickly reloading, "I said so."

If there was the time, Uldren would have furiously argued that, but with two wounds now, he'd only be a hinderance out in the open. So instead he turned and climbed the rock face until he was on the level above where the Fallen had gathered. Lying on his stomach, he positioned himself where he could make clean shots as well as stay out of range. Through his scope he sniped the stealth vandals coming from a cave and then the parade of shanks following the Guardian. The Prince's crosshairs crossed paths with Kore, who at some point had switched back to her auto rifle and was reloading behind a short rock. A vandal was rushing her from behind, but a quick finger on the trigger and he sent it flying backwards. The warlock's head shot up and for a moment they made eye contact, but it was fleeting. Her attention returned to Aksor as she emptied a clip on him.

"Pay attention to me..." he whispered aloud, aiming over her shoulder and finishing off the captain she had been working on. Kore's helmeted face snapped back in his direction, and the Prince wondered what look she had now. Anger? Surprise? Curiosity? Uldren reloaded with a chuckle and continued the game he was playing, aiming at enemies close to her, that he could easily shoot her by mistake. And each time her head jerked up in response, until finally the thunderous crack of his sniper no longer warranted her attention. She was even helping him align the shots, cutting through the Fallen, until all who was left was Aksor.

The Archon Priest had barely flinched through the entire ordeal of gunfire and some terribly tossed grenades. Uldren was doing his best to stun Aksor with some well placed head shots, but between clips he noticed Kore frantically messing with her rifle before tossing it down and making a run for cover. She slid behind the same rock pillar from before, sitting in the water as she reloaded her hand cannon. He knew he needed to provide a distraction, so he continued firing at the Fallen, until the enemy's focus suddenly shifted to Uldren. Aksor began to back up, lifting his Shrapnel Launcher at the Prince, who could only hope the slight limp in the Priest's step hinted at his demise coming soon. Uldren got one, two shots off before Aksor roared and adjusted his aim at the cliff.

In that moment, Kore suddenly was in the air hovering just above Aksor's towering stature. Her right hand was pulled back and glowing a bright violet. Void Light he quickly realized. She waited until the Fallen was barely an arm's length away and then she released a concentrated sphere of energy that engulfed both her and Aksor in a bright flash. Uldren had to shield his eyes as the blast brushed dust against his helmet. The explosion vaporized some of the dead Fallen as the dust began to settle, and the purple glow died away. On his back, sprawled and bloody was Aksor. One of his arms had been ripped from his body, and the Fallen's helmet had been blasted into half of his face. Uldren quickly scaled back down the ledge and paced carefully towards the Archon Priest.

Kore was there, standing over Aksor until he twitched, still alive. She verified her hand cannon had a full chamber and stepped up to the Archon. With the tow of her boot, she pried part of his broken helmet open and exposed his face to the Venus air. He tried to defy her, roaring through the blood coming from his mouth and waving a free arm towards her. Kore stomped on it immediately with a loud crunch, and with her right heel she pressed against Aksor's throat to silence him. Without warning she raised her gun, "the Queen sends her regards." And then she emptied every last round into the prisoner's head.


	9. Chapter 9

**Had a lot of fun with this one, especially getting back into Uldren's POV this round. It's a little shorter than the others, but I figured it would serve as a good break before we get into the Black Garden. As always, thanks for reading!**

* * *

 _ **8**_

* * *

"The Archon Priest is dead..."

Uldren uncurled his fingers and Aksor's flaxen sash fluttered to the ground, the Queen's eyes never wavering from her brother's as it hit the ground. Her Fallen bodyguards clicked nervously at her side as Mara Sov floated to her feet and descended the shallow steps from her throne, eying the token of a mission accomplished. He stood steadfast, with his arms clasped behind him as she stepped on the frayed end of the garment and stretched it long to see the House mark. Satisfied, the Queen leisurely returned to her posh seat and leaned back against the velvet cushions. "You're bleeding?" her voice was soft, but curious.

Actually, the Prince's wounds had stopped bleeding for some time, but the dark red stains were hard to hide. His right side had been grazed during the prolonged firefight with the Vex, and his leg was still throbbing from a vandal's rifle in Winter's Run. "It's nothing," he lied.

She didn't believe him, but her interest had moved on. "And how is our Guardian?"

 _Our?_ He questioned in his head, trying to hide his furrowing brow by looking away. But as he pondered over his sister's question, Uldren wasn't sure he had a proper answer.

After Kore's hand cannon banged with a final bullet, her right hand trembled and flared, sending her weapon crashing to the ground. The palm of her glove had been stripped away, leaving the exposed skin red and raw. She noticed his presence and turned toward him, her visor cracked. Uldren had been observing the warlock for a while, but he had no idea she wielded such amazing power—Void Light, and at an incredible capacity. It made him wonder what else she was capable of.

He limped his way closer to her and knelt down to grab her gun. "Not bad," Uldren muttered over his shoulder as held the hand cannon up to her, "for a Guardian." She reluctantly snatched it from his hand. The Prince smirked and gave Aksor the once over—he was dead as dead can be. Since they wouldn't be bringing the prisoner back alive to the Queen, he would need to present her with something to validate their hunt. Before something could come to mind, Kore was on her knees and leaning over the Archon Priest. She looked at the Prince and then stole the knife strapped to his right leg. "What—" he started, but stopped himself as he watched Kore cut loose the garment around the Fallen's waist.

"There," she said, handing him the knife she was intimately familiar with and the yellow cloth with one fist, "That should satisfy the Queen."

How was the Guardian? On the flight back, she had barely uttered a word unless she was conversing with her Ghost and the warlock avoided using her right hand he noticed. At one point Kore was sitting with her helmet cradled between her hands, surveying the damage: a cracked visor, a few shallow graze marks, and then one that was deep, perhaps lethal if she hadn't been wearing a helmet. Her eyes were fixated on every mark, and her face was dark with a grimness she hadn't had before. And then, lost in her own world, the Prince watched as Kore lifted a finger and pressed it numbly against her forehead.

Uldren cleared his throat, "She is full of surprises."

"Bring the Guardian in," the Queen demanded after a curious pause. "I'd like to speak with it...alone."

The Prince nodded obediently and turned to leave the room, limping down the long hallway despite his effort to hide it. He wondered what his sister was going to say to the Guardian, and wished he'd been invited to stay. And as much as he wanted to insist upon it, Uldren could simply send a crow to do his spying and would have to be satisfied with that. So he dragged himself to the closed doors and slipped through one of them as he cracked it open. Waiting was Petra Venj with the Guardian, the Queen's Emissary's arms were crossed as they engaged in mindless conversation and Kore was standing just the same, although a bit more relaxed.

There was something different about her however. The line her lips often formed was not so straight, but turned slightly into a grin, a smile, a smirk? He couldn't say. As he stumbled toward the women, both of them turned to acknowledge him, and that phenomenon of an expression on Kore's face almost appeared to be a trick of the light. She avoided looking at him directly, and stepped back as Petra properly bowed before him. "The Guardian was telling me of your battles..." the Emissary started, but Uldren had no interest in chatting with her and she immediately picked-up on it. "I should return to my post," she turned to Kore with a friendly nod, "Guardian."

With Petra gone, he was alone with Kore—but she clearly did not want it that way.

"I assume the Queen wishes to see me now—" she had stepped around him and would have made it to the door without another word, if Uldren hadn't suddenly stepped her. He firmly kept a hand on her upper arm, forcing her to look his way.

In that moment he saw what he had never noticed before in the two times he'd been this close to her. A small indention in her forehead—a scar—so faint, he wouldn't have known to look for it if it hadn't been for her pointing it out on the ship. Uldren puzzled over it for a moment, a second really, and released Kore from his grip. She was frowning angrily at him, trying to read the situation, and it only further amused him. The Prince smirked, "Yes she does, don't keep her waiting."

Kore staggered back, then in a moment, switched back to the graceful Guardian she was and entered the Queen's throne room.

Uldren scoffed and stood their for a while, until one of his crows returned. "Master?" it chirped over his shoulder. He didn't reply, but merely turned a hard gaze towards his little minion. The crow sank into the air from the Prince's dark eyes, "I've returned from the Guardian's Tower." He waited for the feathered machine to go on. "I have learned much of the Guardian warlock Kore," it went on to say.

"Have you now?" his smirk widened and darkened, "Very well, tell me."


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey guys, super sorry for this ridiculously late update. I've had to balance work and school lately, and then Fallout 4 came out :| Don't worry though, I'm having too much fun with Uldren to just let this story slip under the rug. Anyhow, enjoy!**

* * *

 _ **9**_

* * *

Surrounded by his murder of crows, Prince Uldren was lounging in his room—a dark corner in the Vestian Web, filled with a network of monitors and sleek dark feathers scattered everywhere. He sat fixated at one screen in particular, memorized as a single clip played over and over. It was scavenged from one of the devices he had hidden within Kore's jumpship, before the warlock had tactfully found and removed them. The moment of footage mirrored a scene from earlier—Kore with the faintest smirk stretched across her lips. Except this time she was inside her ship, staring into the minute lens of his camera before ripping it from the framework and crushing it in her palm.

Uldren breathed out a chuckle and leaned back into his chair, he hadn't been prepared for the Guardian's skills of perception. Even when his crow had followed her to The Wall, she had recognized the anomaly and what it meant. Regardless of her keen eye, the Prince still managed to sneak some of his spying past her. And the things he had learned...

"Yes?" Petra and her eye patch appeared on one of his screens after he called for her.

"Has my sister finished with the Guardian?" he asked.

There was a surprised pause on the Emissary's end. "Miss Kore?" she clarified, "Why yes, and I'm afraid she's already left for Earth."

 _Left?_ Uldren was sure the Queen would of insisted the Guardian stay again—he was expecting it. "When?" he questioned, now looking at Petra through the video feed.

"Well, it was a while ago. The Queen gave her some information regarding that eye she has and then she left," Petra went on to answer, "She's probably already back at the Tower by now—"

He turned the computer off without warning, suddenly overcome with an unsettling anger. It wasn't like she needed his permission to leave, but Uldren had hoped he would have the satisfaction of just that. Out of frustration he shut down the rest of his monitors, leaving himself in silence and darkness.

"Master?" a crow warily chirped, its red eyes staring back at him.

"What is it..." he had little interest in what the tiny drone had to say at this point.

The crow perched itself on top of a monitor and tucked its feathered wings against its sides, "One of us is still inside the Guardian's ship—she speaks of the Black Garden."

This perked the Prince's interest and he immediately leaned forward, with his elbow on his knees and his chin propped against his knuckle. "Tell me..." he ordered. And it did. The crow's tiny mouth opened, projecting a voice that was not its own, but the soft tone of Kore. Her words were muffled by movement and indecipherable at first, but then the interference was lifted and the Guardian's conversation with her Ghost was echoing through his room.

They spoke of the Gate Lord's eye, an item he tasked her to collect himself, which resulted in it being dead and needing a charge. But as he listened, it would appear his dear sister had pointed Kore in the right direction. Beyond the Scablands, she would need to find the Garden's Spire, and there she could charge the eye. And one that was done, the warlock would have her key into the Black Garden.

"—we should tell Zeus..." Uldren suddenly heard the Guardian's ghost suggest.

He waited, strangely anticipating her answer, but there was a long pause before she finally gave a curt, "No." _No?_ The Black Garden was no menial feat, surely she did not intend to enter alone? Once she entered the gate, there was still the task of fighting her way to the garden itself, and then she could make her grand entrance. He doubted she would even make it past the gate's steps.

"Isn't it time Zeus knows about the stranger and—and the Garden?" Ghost protested, begging for Kore to see the logic of working in numbers, but she never said another word. The warlock answered him with silence and continued with whatever she was doing, rustling and moving through the jumpship. Uldren glared at his crow. He was expecting the Guardian to find his device hidden in the shadows, and make a sarcastic comment about it through the speaker. Yet nothing came, except a surprising suggestion from Ghost. "Well, if not him, then how about the Prince—"

Uldren heard as the Ghost's voice grew incredibly loud through the speaker before abruptly cutting off. Regardless, he was sure he had been the subject of that very comment. The Prince leaned back into his chair, ignoring as it ground against his floor. He'd been watching the Black Garden's gate for some time now, ordering a number of crows to follow whoever dared to enter. The crows hardly returned with any useful information, except that the Vex were growing restless, and the Heart stronger. Mars and beyond was bound to be in trouble soon. Knowing this, and everything else, Uldren knew he'd be the perfect companion when it came to entering the Black Garden, and even that drone of Light knew that.

"The Prince..." Kore's voice was darkly serious, and incredibly loud. "Is sure to invite himself, isn't that right?"

Busted.

His monitor screen suddenly lit up, and the bright lens of Ghost was staring down the crow's camera. The Guardian's companion flew away, and in its place was Kore staring up with her arms crossed. "You must be awfully bored on your throne of crows to continue your game of espionage?" she quipped with that unfamiliar smirk that sometimes graced her face, leaving Uldren without a snappy return of words himself. "Unless this is about some sordid perversion of yours." The Prince didn't know what to make of Kore's obscure boldness, or the fact she was dressed lighter than usual. He masked his surprise with a a scoff and leaned back into his chair.

"You may have earned an ounce of trust from my sister," he started, meeting her piercing gaze through the monitor, despite the fact she could not see him. "However, I'm not that easily swayed."

The Guardian's voice carried from off camera, but Uldren couldn't make out what was said. He watched the warlock's smirk slip and then her gaze dart back to the crow. "So I'll be meeting you there then?"

This surprised him. "And what makes you think I'm interested in the problems of your Traveller?"

"Oh I know you could care less," Kore responded, "but you have a habit of showing up anyways." He could not argue that, and again could not supply her with a sardonic reply. Noticing this, she smirked one last time and ended the conversation as she grabbed the crow and smoothed its feathered wings closed.


	11. Chapter 11

**Dude I am the WORST! No real excuse to give here, but I'm back into writing and this story is perhaps my favorite to get back into. So enjoy, and I'll update sooner this time.**

* * *

9.5

* * *

A cool draft blew through the hangar, ruffling the tame tresses of a warlock. She stared out towards the vast Cosmodrome, resting her cheek lazily against her knuckle. A sigh breezed through her chapped lips, followed by another, and after a few moments, a third. The clinking of a wrench came to an abrupt finish, and a wild mane of blonde hair met the corner of her vision. "All this huffing and puffing is really starting to mess with my rhythm here..." came the unique twang of Amanda Holliday, mechanic extraordinaire, with her arms crossed and an annoyed brow propped. "Shouldn't you be out...'guardian-ing' or something?" she added after the raised eyebrow failed to coax a response from the mysterious warlock, Kore.

Kore tilted her head slightly, and forced a grim smirk as the bright eye of her Ghost floated just above her shoulder. "I'm apparently not allowed to..." she muttered, just audible enough for the mechanic to hear as well.

The Ghost's lens narrowed, and orbited towards Holliday. "I don't think it is smart for Kore to return to patrolling just yet," her Ghost had a sweet motherly voice when it spoke. "The Guardian was nearly killed on the last mission she was sent on," Ghost continued as the warlock returned to idly staring out towards the horizon, "She was lucky to make it out in one piece."

Holliday shook the bangs out of her face and sunk into the empty space beside Kore, taking a moment to admire the leather jacket on her lap. "Do you wanna talk about it?" she cautiously asked, well aware of the warlock's hesitant disposition to talk about herself. "Must of been mighty exciting if its got your Ghost all worrying about you..." Holliday continued, not one to easily give up. Kore maintained a stagnant focus outside. "Would it have something to do with who gave you that jacket?" she pointed out bluntly, finally getting movement from her companion. The warlock's free hand curled into the sleeve of the worn leather jacket, and her eyes darted warningly towards Holliday.

 _Bingo._

"You know...," the blonde mechanic started, crossing her grease stained arms, "I know who that belongs to."

A vision of the titan briefly flashed before Kore's eyes and she subconsciously bit her lip, "Your point?"

Holliday chuckled and got back on her feet, returning to the work she had dropped. "My point Kore, is that he doesn't part with that thing lightly," she glanced back at the Guardian, who had a worried look across her face. "He's probably going to track you down sooner or later," the mechanic continued as she picked up her wrench. "And I hope it's while you're moping about here because his brother has smoldering eyes that really makes me–"

"Okay." Kore abruptly jumped to her feet.

Ghost swung around between the ladies and stationed itself by the mechanic's ear, "He did tell her they couldn't return to the Tower until she detoxed outside the atmosphere."

Holliday chuckled again, and crossed her arms with a wrench in her left hand. "Why that's mighty suspicious...it appears you've gotten yourself an admirer Miss Warlock."

Kore stared daggers at her sometimes friend, and scoffed, "Just tell me where _I_ can find him first."

"Well sure, he hangs out here in the hangar, downstairs somewhere..."

And off she went, although nowhere near where the mechanic had told her. Instead, Kore left the hangar and pulled the faded leather jacket on as she crossed through the Tower. She was always surprised by how big it was on her, not realizing she was on the shorter side when it came to Guardians. She would have to roll the sleeves up to see her hands, and her figure was beyond buried in it. Yet the guardian did not mind.

She made her way to the very top of the Wall, her one place to truly feel the open air against her face and get the wide horizon of the Cosmodrome–a world lost and forgotten. Hostile from the ground, but from up here, Kore found nothing but beauty. The Warlock took in the twilight air, feeling her lungs chill as she inhaled deeply. Jumpships were coming and going from the Tower, and she could see their trails disappear beyond the atmosphere. Any regular Guardian would be eager to do the same, but Kore was rather hesitant, as always. She may be a guardian, but she wasn't about to go volunteering to galavant across the galaxy.

"I thought we were returning the jacket?" Kore's Ghost inquired, hovering closely to her shoulder.

That had been her intentions, but she needed some air–she needed to just get away for a while. Ghost had followed as always.

"I keep finding myself wondering who I was before you found me...out there...," Kore sat at the edge of the Wall, her legs dangling over the edge.

"Does it matter Kore?"

The guardian gave her companion a long thoughtful stare, trying to provide an answer for herself, but there as none. Kore often wondered if she had had a family once. Parents? Children? A lover? It was a haunting thought, to not know how long she was dead for, or how. She pulled her knees into her chest, and tucked herself into the leather jacket. Kore didn't like thinking about it, but it was hard not to, and her Ghost knew that. Carefully, Ghost fluttered down next to Kore's left, for once 'sitting' instead of hovering about like it always did.

"I think what matters now is the person you are becoming now," it spoke, "A Guardian, that is also a talented young woman who is destined for great things."

"She's right you know."

Kore nearly jumped out of her skin–it was rare that anyone could sneak up on her, but yet _he_ had. Jax the Titan Guardian. He looked mostly the same since she last saw him, except he had failed to shave in a while. However, that didn't stop the charming grin he flashed at her as his eyes fell on her jacket.

"Were you eavesdropping?" she scowled, failing to reign in her anger.

Jax smirked and made his way towards her, taking long casual strides until he was standing over her. "I like to come up here and clear my head," he started, looking out at the horizon, "I guess great minds think alike." He sank down beside her, legs over the edge and kicking the wall. The Warlock was unsure what to do. She gave him a long side glance, taking in his profile, and ultimately optioned to tuck her knees closer to her chin.

"I use to ask my Ghost those things all the time too, you know?" the Titan said, his voice strong and composed. "But...he was a little less delicate about it than yours is," he went on, taking his turn to look at her profile. "It's not easy coming back and not even knowing who you are, but it's up to us to make this life into something awesome, you know?" No, she didn't know. Kore just stared at him, not sure how to respond except with a faint blush as he stared back at her. "How's the arm?" he then asked, attempting to lighten the mood, "you couldn't use it when I picked you up from down there."

The Warlock instinctively held her once injured arm out in front of her, barely wiggling her fingers past the cuff of the jacket. It was hard to believe she nearly lost it. "I never properly thanked you for saving my life...," she muttered, not use to pleasantries. "If you hadn't saved us...," she peaked at her Ghost, "I was ready to die..."

"Your Ghost really cares about you, she nearly used all her Light trying to send out that signal we found," Jax smiled, "Luckily, I make mine listen out for those signals specifically."

Kore gave her Ghost a secret smile, rare even for her constant companion. "Yeah, me too."

They sat there for a while, Jax making most of the conversation and Kore listening, surprisingly curious. At one point the sun had set, leaving a clear sky with millions of blinking and traveling lights. The Titan was on his back, pointing towards the stars as he recalled some of his favorite patrols and missions. Kore was laying on her side, head rested against her arm, and watching his every movement. For once, something other than the the horizon was giving her a serene feeling, which quickly turned into hot embarrassment when she realized Jax was staring back at her. Panicked, she rolled up to look at anything other than the Titan at her side. He chuckled as he sat up, shadowing her reddening face.

"You kept this..." he picked at the sleeve of his leather jacket, where her arm was buried.

Suddenly she jolted up, and began pealing off the jacket. "I'm sorry...I–I should of returned it," Kore stuttered.

Jax touched her bare arm, his fingers cold. "No, keep it," he said, his voice an order.

"But it's yours?" she could barely contain how happy the idea made her.

"It's yours now, but maybe you can do something for me in return?" the Titan asked.

"And what is that exactly?" If her Ghost had arms, it would be crossing them cautiously at him as it made its appearance known. Getting another chuckle out of Jax.

"Well...my team could use a Warlock."


End file.
